Amelia

fort me all he could with assurances that all should yet be well. This goodness of his affected me with inexpressible sensations; I prostrated myself before him

im for all his civilities. He did not stop at his quarters, but made directly to London, apprehensive, I believe, either of my father or brother's resentment; for I am convinced he is a coward. I

r my past offence, he could not be brought to abandon me. A treaty of marriage was now set on foot, in which my father himself offered me to Hebbers, with a

ich being complied with, everything was concluded, and the villain once more received into the house. He soon found means to obtain

t of my happiness I received a letter from an unknown hand, acquainting me (guess, Mr. Booth, how I was s

e been to impute it to the want of a sufficient warmth of affection, and though the disappointment of all my hopes, at the very instant of their expected fruition, threw me into the most violent disorders; yet, when I came a little to myself, he had no great difficulty to persuade me that in every instance, with regard to me, Hebbers had acted from no other motive than from the most ardent and ungovernable

but happily without

the days of my innocence, or even a few days before, had assured me I could have submitted to have thought of, I should have treated the supposition with the highest contempt and indignation; nay, I scarce reflect on it now with mor

ct every return in the man's power on whom I had conferred it? I will make short of the rem

in London, during which time I had a child by him, whom

dured. I past my hours almost entirely alone; for no company but what I despised, would consort with me. Abroad I scarce ever went, lest I should meet any of my former acquaintance; for their sight would have plunged a thousand daggers in my soul. My only diversion was going very seldom to a play, where I hid

the utmost anxiety to know what became of your poor father, for whom I have

that my brother was always my inveterate enemy and altogether as fond of my sister.-He once prevailed with my father to let him take my sister with him in the chariot, and by that means I was disappointed of going to a ball which I had set my heart on. The disappointment, I assure you, was great at the time; but I had long since forgotten it. I must have been a very bad woman if I had not, for it was the only thing in which I can remember that my fath

was once below me in every place), that widow whom I mentioned to you before. I had scarce cast my eyes on this woman before I was so

I beheld him sitting by that base woman, and talking to her with the utmost familiarity. I could not long endure this sight,

so. My husband was an officer of the army as well as himself; and if a body is a little low in the world, I am sure that is no reason for folks to trample on a body. I defy the world to say as I ever was guilty of an ill thing.' For heaven's sake, madam, says I, what do you mean? 'Mean?' cries she; 'I am sure, if I had not thought you had been Captain Hebbers' lady, his lawful

uainted me that her mother had just found out, by means of the captain's servant, that the captain was married to a

hought it would be in vain to deny anything; so, knowing this to be one of the best-natured and most sensible girls in the world, I resolved to tell her my whole story, and for the future t

been married above a week; last night was the first time of his appearing in public with his wife

answered I eagerly. Wha

captain was married a few days since. His servant was here l

with great difficulty I was brought back to life by the poor girl, for neither the mother nor the maid

nce to see my face, and very kindly advising me to endeavour to reconcile myself to my family, concluding with an o

ad devoted to destruction, whom I no sooner found within my reach than I plunged a drawn penknife, which I had prepared in my pocket for the purpose, into his accursed h

ry, and if I have tired your patience, by dwelling too long

est much concern at her present situation, concluded that he

serene countenance, and with an air of great complacency said, "Well, Mr. Booth, I think I have now a right to satisfy my curiosity at the expense of your breath. I may say it is not al

and then, after the usual apology, was going to begin his history, when the keeper arrived, and acquainted the lady that dinner

y guineas, being the remainder of the money for which she had sold a gold repeating watch, her father's present, with some other trinkets, and desired Mr. Booth to take what he should have occasion for, saying, "